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PRESENTKEKfliY 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS 

OF THE 

Connecticut Society of the 

WOFIiAiffilCAMEmOTO 



WITH LIST OF OFFICERS AND 
PREFACE 



Hartford, Conn. 

Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Company 

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Gift 

Mr». Julian Jam©B 

1912 

OFFICERS 

For Two Years Ending May 10, 1891. 

President, - Hon. Lucius P. Deming, New Haven. 

Vice-President, - Jonathan Trumbull, Norwich. 

Registrar, - - Jonathan F. Morris, Hartford. 

Treasurer, - - Rowland B. Lacey, Bridgeport. 

Secretary, - - Meigs H. Whaples, Hartford. 



BOARD OF MANAGERS 

For Two Years Ending May lo, 1S91. 

Stephen A. Hubbard, Hartford. 

Franklin H. Hart, New Haven. 

Sheldon B. Thorp, North Haven. 

John P. Kellogg, Waterbury. 

Dr. Rufus W. Griswold, Rocky Hill. 

Capt. Henry R. Jones, U. S. A., ... New Hartford. 

Tallmadge Swift, Warren. 

Col. James A. Brown, Stonington. 

Gen. F. E. Camp, Middletown. 

Maj. L. M. Middlebrook, .... Bridgeport. 
John H. Swartwout, Stamford. 



DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION. 

Hon. David Clark, Hartford (at large). 

His Honor Lieut.-Gov. Sam'l E. Merwin, New Haven. 

Frank Farnsworth Starr, Middletown. 



But little more than a century has elapsed since 
the boom of cannon echoing over the Massachu- 
setts hills and through the Connecticut valleys 
awoke the people of the American Colonies to 
the fact that they must submit to the dictation of 
England or fight for freedom. 

They chose the latter, and the Declaration of 
Independence told their decision to the world. 

Battles without number ; sufferings almost be- 
yond endurance ; deeds of heroism rivaling the 
deeds of Greek or Spartan, brought victory, and 
sealed the independence of the United States. 

Then followed an era of prosperity and prog- 
ress ; a struggle for wealth by the individual, and 
for position by the nation. 

Foreign countries poured their tide of emigra- 
tion upon our shores ; the mind of the people was 
absorbed by new issues and new questions, until 
the events of 1776 were to the people as a dim 
cloud upon the evening sky ; the heroic deeds of 
Revolutionary patriots had become as the shadow 
of a memory, and the days dedicated to the cele- 
bration of historic events were unobserved and the 
events they commemorated almost forgotten. 



The booming of cannon and the voice of orators 
on centennial morning, 1876, recalled the attention 
of the people to their country's history and to their 
heritage of glorious memories. 

That great festival celebrated our progress and 
position as a nation, but it left no mentor to keep 
alive the patriotic spirit it had awakened. This 
work was left to a few men in the comparatively 
new State of California, who saw the need of some- 
thing which would stir and enkindle the love of 
country by constantly reminding the people of 
those by whose bravery and blood the country was 
purchased. And so in that centennial year and 
on that centennial day, in California, was organized 
a society which was called "The Society of Sons 
of Revolutionary Sires," and whose object was 
" To keep alive among ourselves and our descend- 
ants in the community the patriotic spirit of the 
men who achieved American Independence." 

That society was a grand conception, prompted 
by motives of the purest patriotism, and like good 
seed in good soil soon germinated in other States. 
Massachusetts and New York, South Carolina and 
Kentucky, and other States, seized the inspiration 
and organized sister societies. 

Connecticut, rich in names of patriotic sons, 
and rich in historic places, organized its society on 
the second day of April, 1889. Fully one hundred 
persons met in the capitol, in Hartford — among 
whom were six sons whose fathers had fought in 
Revolutionary battles — and took part in the organ- 



ization. The objects of the society are in harmony 
with all other societies of the kind in the country. 
Its objects are : 

First, to unite in one society every resident of 
Connecticut who can trace his descent from some 
person who assisted in establishing American In- 
dependence. 

Second, to preserve the traditions of Connecti- 
cut's Revolutionary heroes ; the diaries, letters, 
and mementoes which are now hidden in attics 
and trunks, and to gather and preserve the relics 
and records of that period now in the possession 
of private persons. 

Third, to stimulate the pride of birth, as be- 
ing Americans, and descended from such noble 
ancestry. 

Fourth, the society is especially designed to 
stimulate a love for our one and common country, 
its brave people and grand institutions. 

This is a work worthy of the earnest support 
and active sympathy of every true American, and 
the Connecticut Society of Sons of the American 
Revolution confidently asks and expects the hearty 
co-operation and enthusiastic help of Connecticut's 
sons and daughters of Revolutionary ancestors-. 



o©r)sfifufi©r), 



Article I. — The name of this society shall be 
the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the Ameri- 
can Revolution. 

Article II. — The object and purpose of this 
society is to keep alive among ourselves and our 
descendants the patriotic spirit of the men who, 
in military, naval, or civil service, by their acts or 
counsel achieved American independence ; to col- 
lect and secure for preserv^ation the manuscript 
rolls, records, and other documents relating to the 
war of the Revolution, and to promote social inter- 
course and good feeling among its members now 
and hereafter. 

Article III. — Any male person shall be eligi- 
ble for membership in this society who is a 
resident of Connecticut, or who is descended from 
a Connecticut revolutionary ancestor wherever 
resident, who is of the age of twenty-one years, 
and whose ancestor was either a military or naval 
officer, soldier, or sailor, or an official in the ser- 
vice of any one of the thirteen original colonies or 
States, or of the government representing or com- 



posed of those colonies or States who assisted in 
establishing American independence during the 
war of the Revolution. 

Article IV. — The officers of this society 
shall be a president, vice-president, a secretary, a 
treasurer, a registrar, and a historian. 

Article V. — A meeting for the election of 
officers and transaction of business shall be held 
biennially, in the city of Hartford, on the loth day 
of May, and a meeting for social purposes shall be 
held annually at such time and place as the board 
of managers may determine. 

At each biennial meeting there shall be elected, 
in addition to the officers provided for in Article 
IV, one delegate at large, and one delegate for 
each one hundred or fraction of one hundred 
exceeding fifty members, who, together with such 
officers as are provided for by the constitution of 
the National Society, shall represent this society 
in the National Society. 

Article VI. — There shall be aboard of man- 
agers whose duty it shall be to conduct the affairs 
of this society, which board shall consist of the 
officers of this society, the delegates to the 
National Society, and fifteen others, who shall be 
elected at the biennial meeting. 

Article VII. — The president and vice-presi- 
dent shall not be eligible for a second re-election 
as their own successors. 

Article VIII. — This constitution may be 
amended, altered, or repealed, provided written 



resolutions to that effect are first presented to the 
board of managers and approved by a two-thirds 
vote of the members present at any regular meet- 
ing of said board, or at a special meeting called for 
that purpose ; and provided said amendments are 
approved by a majority of the members present at 
any regular or special meeting of the society. 



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s. 



Section i. All applications for membership 
in this society shall be upon blank forms furnished 
by tire society, and each application shall be 
accompanied by the membership fee, which shall 
be returned if the applicant is not accepted. 

Sec. 2. All applications for membership shall 
be submitted to the registrar for examination, and 
shall be reported by him to the board of managers, 
and when approved by said board shall be returned 
to the registrar for preservation, and upon pay- 
ment of membership fee the applicant shall 
become a member of the society. 

Sec. 3. The membership fee shall be one 
dollar, and yearly dues two dollars. The payment 
of fifty dollars by a member at any one time shall 
constitute the person paying such sum a life mem- 
ber, and he shall thereafter be exempt from the 
payment of annual dues. Annual dues shall be 
paid to the secretary on or before the loth day of 
May in each year. The secretary shall notify 
members three months in arrears, and non-pay- 
ment of dues in three months thereafter shall be 



regarded as terminating the membership of such 
person. 

Sec. 4. Ladies may be admitted as honorary 
members of this society, provided they can trace 
their descent from Revolutionary ancestors, as 
provided in Article IV of the Constitution (appli- 
cations to be made in accordance with section i 
of the by-laws) and upon the payment of a mem- 
bership fee of fifty cents and annual dues of fifty 
cents. Honorary members shall not be entitled to 
take part in the business meetings of the society. 

Sec. 5. The members of this society shall 
meet in the city of Hartford on the loth day of 
May, 1890, and on the loth day of May, 1891, and 
biennially thereafter for the election of officers and 
the transaction of the business of the society. In 
case said day shall fall upon Sunday, the meeting 
shall be held on the following day. In the 
election of officers a majority of the ballots cast 
shall be necessary for a choice. 

Sec. 6. The society shall hold an annual meet- 
ing for the purpose of celebrating some event in 
Revolutionary history, the time and place for 
holding such annual meeting to be determined by 
the board of managers ; and said board shall also 
determine the manner of such celebration, which 
shall include an oration, a poem, and a dinner 
whenever practicable. 

Sec. 7. The regular meeting of the board of 
managers shall be held upon the third Tuesday of 
April and October in each year, and special meet- 



ings may be called by the president at any time, 
and shall be called upon the request of any three 
members of the board of managers. Three (3) 
members of the board of managers shall constitute 
a quorum at a meeting of said board. Five (5) 
members of the society shall constitute a quorum 
at a meeting of said society. 

Sec. 8. The president, or, in his absence the 
vice-president, or, in their absence a chairman/;-^ 
tcm., shall preside at all meetings of the society 
and of the board of managers, and shall have a 
casting vote. The presiding ofihcer shall preserve 
order, and shall decide all questions of order, sub- 
ject to appeal to the meeting. 

Sec. 9. The secretary shall receive all money 
from the members, and shall pay it over to the 
treasurer, taking his receipt for the same. He 
shall conduct the general correspondence of the 
society ; shall notify members of their election and 
of such other matters as the society may direct. 
He shall have charge of the seal, and such records 
of the society as are not herein given especially in 
charge of the other officers of the society; together 
Avith the presiding officer he shall certify all acts 
and orders of the society. He shall, under direc- 
tion of the president, or acting president, give no- 
tice of the time and place of all meetings of the 
society and of the board of managers, and shall 
attend the same. He shall keep accurate reports 
of the meetings of the society and of the board of 
manao-ers, and shall give such notices of the votes, 



orders, and proceedings of the society as the soci- 
ety or board of managers shall direct. 

Sfx. io. The treasurer shall receive all the 
money from the secretary and give his receipt for 
the same ; which money he shall deposit in the 
name of the society and shall pay out for the ben- 
efit of the society only, in such sums as the society 
or the board of managers may direct, and upon the 
order of the secretary, countersigned by the presi- 
dent. He shall keep a true account of his receipts 
and disbursements, and at each biennial meeting 
shall make a full report to the society. The books 
of the secretary and treasurer shall be open to the 
inspection of the president and the board of man- 
agers and to the auditing committee at all times. 

Sec. it. The members of the board of man- 
agers shall be elected in the same manner and at 
the same time as is provided for the election of 
officers. They shall judge of .the qualifications of 
applicants for membership and shall have control 
and management of the affairs of the society. 
They shall appoint an auditing committee. They 
may call special meetings at any time, and shall call 
a special meeting upon the written request of any 
five members of the society. They shall also have 
power to fill vacancies. 

Sec. 12. The registrar shall receive all appli- 
cations and proofs of membership from the secre- 
tary after they have been passed upon by the 
board of managers, and shall make a record of the 
same in a book of forms prepared for that purpose. 



He shall also have the custody of all the historical, 
geographical, and genealogical papers, books, man- 
uscripts, and relics of which the society may be- 
come possessed. He shall receive twenty-five 
cents for recording each accepted application, and 
shall make a report in writing at each annual 
meeting. 

Sec. 13. These by-laws shall not be altered 
nor amended unless such alteration or amendment 
shall have been proposed in writing at a previous 
meeting of the board of managers and entered 
upon the records, with the name of the member 
proposing the change, and adopted by a majority 
of the members present at a regular meeting of 
the society, or at a special meeting called for that 
purpose. 






MEMBERS OF RECORD, Oct. i, 1889. 



Babcock, Cortland G. 
Bacon, Wm. T. 
BissELL, Thomas H. 
BuLKELEY, Stephen 
Bishop, Joseph 
Brown, Freeman M. 
Barnes, Trescott C. 
Bates, Albert Carlos 
BiGELOW, George W. 
Brayton, Charles Erskine 
Bronson, Henry Trumbull 
Bryant, Thomas Wallace 
BiGELOw, Hobart B. 
Camp, Frederic E. 
Calef, Samuel B. . 
Clark, David 
CoTHREN, William 
Chapman, Henry A. 
Cornwall, Horace 
Countryman, William 
CoNANT, George A. 
Calef, Thomas 
Chafin, Charles E. 
Douglas, Benjamin 
Deming, Lucius Parmen 
Easterbrook, Nathan Jr 
Ellsworth, Pinckney W. 
Elmore, Samuel E. 



Stonington, Conn. 
Hartford, 
Hartford, 
Wethersfield, *' 
West Hartford, " 
Hartford, " 

New Hartford, " 
East Granby, " 
New Haven, *' 
Stonington, " 

New York City. 
Torrington, Conn. 
New Haven, " 
Middletown, " 
Middletown, " 
Hartford, " 

Woodbury, " 

Hartford, 
Hartford, " 

Hartford, " 

Willimantic, " 
Bridgeport, " 

Hartford, " 

Middletown, " 
New Haven, " 
New Haven, " 
Hartford, •' 

Hartford, " 



Eno, Richard B. . 
Foster, Frederic Rose Jr 
Felt, Levi L. . 
Fenn, Linus T. 
Fenn, John Roberts . 
Farnham, Elias B. 
Grannis, Andrew Jared 
Grant, James M. . 
Griswold, Rufus W. . 
Gay, Frank Butler 
Gay, Erastus . 
Goodwin, Francis . 
Griswold, Roger M. 
Goodwin, James J. 
Hart, Frederic J. 
Hart, Charles E. . 
Hart, Franklin H. 

HOTCHKISS, HOBART L. . 

Hendee, Edward Dwight 

Hubbard, George A. . 

HovEY, Horace C. 
-Hollister, John C. 

Harrison, Henry B. 

Hammond, Edward P. . 

Herrington, Alfred G. 

Hubbard, Stephen A. . 

Huntington, John Taylor 

Hawley, Elias S. . 

Huntington, Harwood 

Holmes, Joseph 
Jones, Henry R. . 
Kellogg, John P. . 
Kellogg, Stephen W. . 
Kinney, John Coddington 
Lacey, Rowland B. 
Lewis, John B. 
Love, William DeLoss, Jr 
Linsley, Solomon Fowler 
Lee, William Wallace 
Lewis, William J. 



Simsbury, Conn. 

Hartford, " 

Hartford, " 
West Hartford, " 
West Hartford, " 

Hartford, " 

East Haven, " 

Hartford, " 
Rocky Hill, 
Hartford, 

Farmington, " 
Hartford, 

Portland, " 
Hartford, 

New Haven, " 

New Haven, " 

New Haven, " 

New Haven, " 

New Haven, " 

New Haven, " 

Bridgeport, " 

New Haven, " 

New Haven, " 

Hartford, " 
Hartford, 
Hartford, 

Hartford, " 
Buffalo, N. Y. 
Hartford, 

New Hartford, " 

Waterbury, " 

Waterbury, " 
Hartford, 

Bridgeport, " 

Hartford, " 
Hartford, 

North Haven, " 

Meriden, " 

Hartford, " 



Lewis, Alonzo N. . 
LocKwooD, David Benjamin 
Lee, William Henry . 
Merwin, Samuel E. 
Morris, Jonathan F. . 
McManus, Alonzo . 
Morris, John E. 
Middlebrook, Louis N. 
Morgan, Lewis L. . 
Morgan, William E. . 
Matson, William L. 
Morgan, Henry C. 
Newcomb, George F. . 
Nelson, Robert W. 
Noyes, Franklin Barc(jck 
Orcutt, Samuel 
Phelps, Roswell H. 
Phelps, Jeffrey O. 
Phelps, Jeffrey O. Jr. . 
Palmer, Ira Hart 
PiERPONT, William H. . 
Phelps, Alfred W. 
QuiNTARD, Henry H. . 
Rfmbert, John R. . 
RoBBiNS, Philemon W. . 
Strong, Horace H. 
Swartwout, John H. . 
Spencer, George F. 
Swift, Tallmadge 
Starr, Frank Farnsworth 
Spencer, Frederic A. . 
Seymour, Frederic A. . 
Shew, Jacob W. . 
Shepherd, Carroll Sylvan 
Stedman, John W. 
Slate, Dwight 
Trumbull, Jonathan . 
Thorpe, Sheldon B. 
Tyler, Sylvanus . 



Westport, Conn. 

Bridgeport, " 

New York City. 

New Haven, 

Hartford, 

New Britain, 

Hartford, 

Bridgeport, 

New Haven, 

New Haven, 

Hartford, 

Colchester, 

New Haven, 

Hartford, 

Stonington, 

Bridgeport, 

East Granby, 

Simsbury, 

Hartford, 

Stonington, 

New Haven, 

New Haven, 

Hartford, 

Hartford, 

Hartford, 

New Haven, 

Stamford, 

Deep River, 

Warren, 

Middletown, 

Waterbury, 

West Hartford, 

Hartford, 

West Haven, 

Hartford, 

Hartford, 

Norwich, 

North Haven, 

Essex, 



Whaples, Meigs Heywood 
Wadsworth, Edward . 
Weaver, Thomas Snell 
Whiting, Charles B. . 
Williamson, Randolph W. 
WiLCoxsoN, Albert 



HONORARY. 

BiGELow, Mrs. Marie Linsley . 
Hammond, Mrs. Eliza . . . . 
Pitkin, Mrs. Sarah Howard Loomis, 



Conn. 



Hartford, 
Hartford, 
Hartford, 
Hartford, 
Hattford, 
Stratford, 



New Haven, Conn. 
Hartford, " 

Hartford, " 






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